Waiting with the Past
By Simply Shelby
Grunting in a most unbecoming fashion, Sarah glared at the dough underneath her hands, as if the floured, sticky substance was the cause of her frustration. She knew how she must look; her entire body dusted with flour, her hair falling out of its pins, her eyes red from tears, and her hands beating the mix that was soon going to be bread. If her mother were to see her now, she would send Sarah straight back to her "lady lessons" to refresh her memory.
She was the daughter of a Lady! She didn't deserve to be here. He wasn't allowed to do this to her! He couldn't just abandon her for days on end without a word of what was going on. Tucking one of the many loose strands of hair behind her ears, she punched the dough again.
"Sarah, lieb," Mrs. Ludwick spoke from behind her, "What did the dough do to earn this hostility from you?"
The British girl sighed and shook her head, her russet and ginger tresses falling in front of her face. She didn't want the woman to see how upset she was. Nevertheless, Mrs. Ludwick was quite perceptive. "I would not worry much for him." Her voice was soft and reassuring. "I have known James since he was very small. He is a most resourceful boy. He can extract himself from any bad circumstance."
Sarah giggled delicately. "He is quite adept. He must have had a lot of practise, I imagine." Afraid to go on, Sarah bit her lip. "You knew him when he was young?"
The German woman heaved a sad sigh. "He was one of the local unruhestifters. He stole a loaf of bread and mein mann chased him down and brought him here for me to feed." Mrs. Ludwick's brown eyes were stuck in the past. "He was the scruffiest and scrawniest little boy I had ever seen. He wore no shoes and his clothes were so thin. It was in the middle of winter," she told Sarah, "I made up a bed of quilts for him by the fire, but he refused to stay." She shook her head. "It was snowing outside. He thanked me for the meal, but told me he didn't want to 'impose upon more of my generosity' when I had already gave him a meal."
"He was an orphan." Sarah mused, "It must have felt odd to have someone care for him."
"He cam to visit about a week later. I fed him and we talked. He told me that he was looking for Benjamin Franklin, the man who invented the lightning rod. When I asked why, he never responded. He would drop by ever week or two, but then we didn't see him for three or four weeks. I was so worried that he had… died."
Sarah's eyes were filled with worry.
"Oh, mein lieb, do not worry so. He eventually came back. With shoes, of course, and thicker clothing, and as clean as a boy his age could ever be."
"He found Dr. Franklin."
Mrs. Ludwick nodded. "He did."
"Does he come visit you, still?" Sarah wondered.
"Often enough," she answered. "He's quite a busy young man and I'm just a friend from the past. Josef and I are so proud of him."
"He never speaks of you. But I don't understand why." Her hands were folded, her eyes inquisitive. "This is the first time I've ever heard of you and your husband as being so close to him. I didn't think he really knew anybody, besides Dr. Franklin."
The woman seemed surprised. "My husband and I... we come from a part of James's life that is... hard for him to remember. He was an orphan on a hopeless mission, stealing bread to survive. It must be painful for him to remember all the things he used to do in order to survive."
"Why send me here, now? He could have told me to go anywhere."
"I imagine he didn't want anyone to know where you were. We know how to hide the biggest secrets."
"Thank you," Sarah said softly, "For taking care of him. I don't know how to thank you."
"Oh. There are no thanks necessary. Although, I would appreciate seeing some little Jameses running around. Quite soon, or so James tells me."
Sarah blushed. "We're to be married," she admitted. If he ever comes back, she said to herself.
"He will."
"God willing."
